Bank of Canada balance sheet Nov 30, 2021

Summary#

Bank of Canada published its unaudited statement of financial position as at November 30, 2021. The statement shows total assets and total liabilities/equity of $499,153 million (amounts are in millions of dollars) and gives a breakdown of the bank’s main holdings and obligations.

What it does#

• Presents the Bank’s balance sheet (assets, liabilities and equity) for the reporting date November 30, 2021.
• Lists major asset categories, including:
  • Investments of $465,848 million, which include Government of Canada bonds carried at fair value ($278,771 million) and at amortized cost ($124,975 million).
  • Securities purchased under resale agreements of $23,467 million.
  • Cash and foreign deposits of $7 million.
• Lists major liabilities and sources of funding, including:
  • Bank notes in circulation of $112,409 million.
  • Deposits totaling $352,650 million (Government of Canada $55,812 million; Members of Payments Canada $288,749 million; other deposits $8,089 million).
  • Securities sold under repurchase agreements of $32,740 million.
• Shows total liabilities of $498,569 million and total equity of $584 million.
• Includes brief notes such as the value of derivatives and capital assets, and is signed off by Bank officials on December 16, 2021.

Who's affected#

• People who follow public finances and central bank activity: economists, financial market participants, journalists and researchers.
• The Government of Canada and large payments-system participants, since deposits and government bond holdings are shown.
• The general public indirectly, because the Bank’s balance sheet reflects monetary policy actions and cash in circulation.
• This is a routine monthly disclosure; it does not announce a new policy or regulation.

Why it matters#

• The statement shows the size and composition of the Bank’s balance sheet at a point in time. That helps markets and analysts understand how the Bank is positioned (for example, how much it holds in government bonds and how much cash is circulating).
• It contributes to transparency about central bank operations and financial status.
• Observers may use it to track trends in assets like Government of Canada bonds, deposits from payment-system participants, and the amount of bank notes in circulation.